Work in Progress

Chapter 4

         The spread was sumptuous.  Olga had prepared a goose with all of the side dishes, as well as several varieties of eggs and meats.
         Mikes eyes bulged.  "You must have stayed up all night to prepare this!"
         "Nyet," was Olga's reply.  "I arose when I normally do.  Much had been prepared in advance because I knew all of you would be together again."  She smirked and turned back to the oven.
         Pavel turned to Mike and half covered his mouth with his hand.  "She had been to the fortune teller last week who told her you would all be here."
         "Maybe I should hire this fortune teller," Mike replied.  "Our lives are all written in jello."
         Pavel let out a great belly laugh as Olga brought another platter of breakfast meat to the table.
         "My Kika is again going to be great?" Pavel asked when he calmed down.
         Mike nodded.  "The world is in great danger from a very large asteroid that will strike in the next few weeks.  We need to pull it off course."
         Pavel turned to his daughter.  "You can do this?"
         "Yes papa.  We can do this"
         Everyone began to help themselves to the feast.  There was moistness in Pavel's eyes as he turned again to Mike.
         "Twelve years ago, even with her degree, the best my daughter could hope for was to become a milkmaid and inherit my farm.  Today, she is on the television and in the news and will help to save our world.  For this, I thank you."
         Mike held up his hand.  "Moi droog, she is what she is.  She has accepted the challenge of her life and she has bested it.  I will tell you now; she is the best engineer, next to myself, that I have ever met.  The day I found her at Sheremetyevo is still the best day of my life.  For this I thank you and Olga...especially Olga, for allowing her to accompany us to Mars.  She has now become her own person and the best partner anyone could ever ask for.  By the way, I need to speak with you alone when we're through."
         Pavel nodded at Mike and began eating.
         
         An hour later, the platters were almost empty and the crew sat bulging at the table.  All were too full from the meal to move comfortably, but each knew that, when Olga cooked, it was not polite to leave anything on the platters.
         Pavel stood at last and nodded to Mike to follow him.
         As they entered the living room, Pavel turned to Mike, "What is it you wish to speak of?"
         "You know that I feel as Oksana's godfather.  I care for her as much as I would for a daughter if I had one."
         Pavel nodded.
         "Several years ago you gave permission to John to court your daughter, am I right?"
         Pavel nodded again.
         "Well, they have been serious for quite a while now.  I know that for quite a while, her head was in her studies.  From what I saw today, she's ready.  I need your assistance to jump start John into becoming serious."
         Pavel looked at Mike for a moment before grasping him into a great bear hug.  "You have my aid."
         The two broke and re-entered the kitchen. 
         "Since most of us are on American time, let's all go out to Vesna and get some sleep before we have to do our thing," Mike said to those at the table.
         "Oksana, I know you're still on Nizhny time, but you're going to need rest too, if you're going to fire accurately."
         Olga turned and gave Mike a large smile.
         Admiral Teramore lifted his glass of chai to Pavel and Olga.  "Za vashe zdrovie!"
         Pavel lifted his glass and said, "Udachi!"
         "If you don't mind, Pavel, we'll stay until we're rested and lift off from your pasture," Mike said.
         Pavel nodded.
         As the seven began to leave, Pavel took John by the arm.  "You asked several years ago if you could court my daughter."
         John nodded.
         "Nothing seems to be coming of this and the Yachenko boys have both been bothering me.  They've both known Kika since she was a little girl."
         "What are you saying?"
         "What I'm saying, my son, is don't lose the moment."  Pavel briefly gave John a great hug before the boy went out to join the rest of the crew on Vesna.




Ben W. Gardner
Sedona, Arizona

"I do not fear computers. I fear lack of them." --Isaac Asimov

http://ca.geocities.com/vladilyich/

In The Beginning - ISBN:  1-4116-3848-4
Just In Time - ISBN 1-4116-3851-4
Ad Astra - ISBN: 978-1-84728-518-8
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